August 30, 2016

History of North Attleborough, MA

History of North Attleborough, MA

North Attleborough formerly a part of Attleborough] is an industrial town adjacent to the Rhode Island border. In pre-Colonial times, it was the site of the Bay Path, a major Indian trail to Narragansett Bay, the Seekonk River and Boston.

John Woodcock and his family established a small settlement in what is is now North Attleborough around 1669. Their primary means of survival was based on agriculture, fishing and hunting. By 1670, Woodcock had received a license to open a tavern. The settlement was attacked during King Philip's War, with two killed and one home burned, but the garrison house which Woodcock had built survived the attack. The Woodcock-Garrison house was used as sleeping quarters for George Washington on his army's march to Boston to rid the city of General Thomas Gage's troops. The Garrison house is still open for tours and is an especially popular destination for field trips by local school children.